ITLS (BTLS) retesting?

[solidgoldvfr]

Hi all,
A few quick questions to those who have taken this course recently:

If you failed your pratical assessment, was a retest made available to you?
If so, when (ie. right away, same day, next day, next class?)
If so, was there an additional fee?
If so, how much?

(As I subtly ask 'for a friend')
Thanks for any input

[mutts252]

i took it this past weekend, put on by toronto EMS...

as far as i know, you pretty much pay the whole fee again and go back for the part you need to pass (ie written test or practical or both). kinda a tough-love situation...

[solidgoldvfr]

got everything sorted out - thanks....

[wingman]

So, what did you find out? Can you re-test or do you have to put up the cash and take the course again?

[FLASHOVER05]

I did the course last year. I'm about ready to recert. although the card says it's good for two years, I found the course very good and the trainers were thorough. From what I remember it's pay per course, complete or incomplete you pay for the course.

[solidgoldvfr]

So, what did you find out? Can you re-test or do you have to put up the cash and take the course again?
After numerous inquiries I was offered to retest (practical) for no additional fee as no retest was offered immediately after the initial (failure) as is their usual policy. Passed the practical no prob this time.

As an aside, myself and another who was there to retest found a VERY big difference in the 2 sessions, especially in instructor 'effectiveness/clarity' and we both wondered if it was due to class make up (1st class was ~ 90% paramedic grads who 'knew their stuff' whereas 2nd class was maybe 10% paramedic grads). More hands-on practice was also provided 2nd time around - guess they were 'dumbing it down' for us ;)

[Zulu]

Greetings,

Can anybody provide insight on how the 2 day course is provided? Do you learn the first day and get tested on the second for example? Furthermore, do you get tested on all 16 skill sheets or just on 1 of the 16 chosen randomly? Finally, is the written portion all multiple choice and similar to the quizzes that are online and the CD-Rom?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[mattcurry]

Zulu,
I took the course last month at Toronto EMS and loved it! The instructors were extremely knowledgeable, and most of them had a decent sense of humour. I think we had about 7 instructors in by the end of the course, and they each brought something interesting to the table, with lots of real-life stories. The first day involves pushing through a fair amount of material, but it is augmented with practical, hands-on scenarios where you practice and learn your skills, and get used to performing the various Trauma surveys and exams.

The second day covers more material (if i remember correctly we covered geriatric patients, children, and pregnancy that day). After that they set up 5 scenarios, and you travelled from scene to scene in groups of 4-5, and you each had a chance to act as team lead, and practice what you have learned. The instructors 'graded' these sessions, but only to provide input to you, and they would tell you anything you forgot, or something you should pay attention to next time, etc..

After that there was a written test, which was multiple choice, and reasonably in-depth. I remember there being a few questions on there that were covered in the reading, but not in class, so be sure to study hard and know that manual before you even start the course. Then there was the practical exam. Different scenarios were set up, and again, you travelled in your group, and took turns being team lead, and you had to run the show. There was only one person that i noticed that didn't pass, and she was an ER nurse! It just shows you that it's a totally different ball game for initial assessment and life support.

With ITLS, you are showing up on THEIR scene, and have to adapt to THEIR circumstances. Whereas in the ER, they are showing up to YOUR place, where you are comfortable, and you know where everything is, and they are already packaged. We had about a 50-50 mix of paramedics/nurses and fire guys. Some struggled, and some excelled.

Basically, just knowing theory doesn't mean a thing in this course. You have to be a leader, and act quickly and confidently. If you don't feel comfortable taking charge and running the show, this may not be the course for you. I would recommend it to anybody, it is a great course and you will learn a tonne!!

I was able to put my training to use 2 days after finishing when i rolled up on a pedestrian(still conscious) vs. auto on my way home from work the tuesday after the course. It was incredible how the training takes over. I was able to control the scene, apply pressure to a large open posterior head wound, keep the patient calm, maintain c-spine and take a SAMPLE history before EMS arrived. The pedestiran, Olivia, age 14, was transported to Cambridge Memorial, and made a full recovery. - it was a great feeling being able to help out, and further confirmation that fire-rescue is where i want to be!

-MC

[Zulu]

Matt,

Thanks for the insight! I did the course last weekend and passed!

It was a great experience and, like you said, the biggest difference with other courses was actually leading the team and controlling the scene. A lot was similar to the first responder course but obviously more trauma oriented. That's where I had to switch hats ... "Load and go!".

Like you, I highly recommend this course as well. If any of you are considering it, make sure that you read the manual before hand. If you're a slow learner regarding the medical aspect of the job, make sure you give yourself enough time to review and learn the manual. I can't stress that enough. There's a lot of info to learn that they don't cover in class and expect you to know for the written portion of the exam. I only had 1 week to do so!

Furthermore, if any of you are wondering how the course is given, Matt's description above depicts exactly how the course was coordinated. The teachers give you ample opportunity to ask questions during the practice sessions and they give you great pointers for the actual scenario testing.

Thanks again Matt and good luck to you!

Z.